L'archimandrite Naum et les « naumovcy » comme quintessence du phénomène contemporain du starčestvo

In: Revue d'études comparatives est-ouest: RECEO, Band 36, Heft 4, S. 89-119

Abstract

The Naum archimandrite and "naumovtsy" as the quintessence of the contemporary starchestvo phenomenon
The starchestvo, an informal religious practice in the Russian Orthodox Church, is a phenomenon that, parallel to official theological doctrines, fits into a system of practices and beliefs called "popular Orthodoxy". This practice is far from homogeneous. The influence of spiritual fathers is of overriding importance. Officially belonging to the Russian Orthodox Church, these priests exercise an influence (recognized by the episcopate itself) over the faithful and the clergy. They have set up their own system of Church administration. By concentrating on one example, the Naum archimandrite (Bajborodin), the relations between the starets and his disciples are studied so as to analyze both his influence on Church activities, even in the political and social fields, and the psychological mechanisms used to rule over followers.